Gate latch and oil hinge



2, 1966 D. OLSON 3,263,351

GATE LATCH AND OIL HINGE Filed July 8, 1964 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 4) w 48 4& 55 5e Aug. 2, 1966 D. OLSON GATE LATCH AND OIL HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1964 United States Patent 3,263,351 GATE LATCH AND OIL HINGE Dayton Olson, 3340 Sanders St., Butte, Mont. 59701 Filed July 8, 1964, Ser. No. 381,070 10 Claims. (Cl. 49-394) This invention relates to gate latches and more particularly to an impnoved automatic gate latch.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gate latch which will automatically lock when the gate is closed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gate latch which will be noise-free in operation and will have spring means, plunger means and pin means which will engage a fence post to keep the gate closed.

A fiurther object-of the present invention is to provide a gate latch which will have vertical handle means for disengaging the plunger while simultaneously serving to seat a locking pin to keep the plunger back until the gate is closed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a gate latch which will enter the top rail of a fence post and will have cam plate means to disengage a retaining pin in order that the spring may drive description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a gate comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the hinges of the invention shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical view of one of the hinge bushings shown removed from FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the decorative top rod of the gate shown removed from FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the present invention shown in full closed position;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the latch pin receiving member shown removed from the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a cnoss sectional view of the plunger member shown removed from the invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a gate latch 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a hollow, elongated plunger sleeve 12 which is slidably received within the gate top rail 14. Plunger sleeve 12 is provided with a cap 16 against which a coil spring 18 urges. A spacer 20 is secured to the other end of coil spring 18 and abuts with a bolt 22 received transversely through gate top rail 14. Bolt 22 provides stop means for spring 18 and is provided with a threaded nut 24 which secures bolt 22 within top rail 14. Plunger sleeve 12 pnovides a means of latching by being received in the open end of toprail 26 of gate post 28. A latch pin 30 parallel with top rail 14 is fixedly secured at one end to a plate 32. Plate 32 is provided with a vertical brass handle 34 and plate 32 is secured by means of a pair of stove bolts 36 to plunger sleeve 12. A slot 37 through top rail 14 slidably receives stove bolts 36 of plate 32 and latch 30 secured to plate 32 is freely and slidably received within opening 38 of an L-shaped latch bar 40. Latch pin 38 is freely and slidably received through a decorative rod 41 which is fixedly secured to top rail 14. The engagement end of latch pin 30 is rounded to be received within opening 38 of latch bar 40, and opening 38 is conical in configuration to prevent latch pin 30 from sticking. Latch bar 48 is provided with a pair of aligned, elongated slots 42 to enable adjustment of latch bar 40 by means of screws 44 received within slots 42. Screws 44 are threadingly received in top rail 26. A leaf spring 46 of elongated configuration is received within plunger sleeve 12 and is secured thereto by means of a pair of spaced apart bolts 48 which threadingly receive nuts 50. A stop pin 52 is fixedly secured to leaf spring 46 and is slidably received within opening 54 of top rail 14 to prevent plunger sleeve 12 from entering top rail 26 until a trigger plate 56 of rectangular configuration is urged inwardly of plunger sleeve 12. Trigger plate 56 is fixedly secured to the end of leaf spring 46 and is freely and slidably received Within an elongated slot 58 through gate top rail 14. An elongated cam plate 60 is fixedly secured to top rail 26 and extends partially from the end of top rail 26 and provides a means for urging pin 52 from opening 54 to release plunger sleeve 12 which will engage with the opening within top rail 26 of gate post 28. An elongated slot 62 within gate post top rail 26 slidably receives trigger plate 56 when plunger sleeve 12 is driven forward by means of coil spring 18 within top rail 14.

The gate herein described is provided with a pair of toll hinges 64, each having an upper hollow housing 66 and a lower hollow housing 68. Lower housing 68 is filled with oil (not shown) which provides continuous lubrication for oil hinges 64. Housings 66 and 68, respectively, are provided with an internal hollow bushing 70 having end flanges 72 for the purpose which will hereinafter be described. An actual opening 74 through bushing 70 slidably receives the hinge pin 76 and the oil enters housing 66 and 68 by means of arcuate opening 78 along the outer periphery of flanges 72 of bushings 70.

In operation, the gate is opened by grasping handle 34 and urging it rearwardly toward hinges 64. Handle 34 being secured to plunger sleeve 12 by means of plate 32 slides latch pin 30 from opening 38 of latch bar 40 and simultaneously slides the end of plunger sleeve 12 out of top rail 26. When handle 34 is moved sufficiently far, stop pin 52 engages opening 54 of the top rail 14 to retain plunger sleeve 12 against the spring pressure upon it until the gate is closed again. When the gate is urged closed, trigger plate 56 striking cam plate 60 is urged inward of plunger sleeve 12, disengaging pin 52 from opening 54, whereupon the spring 18 urges plunger sleeve 12 outward of gate top rail 14 and into top rail 26 of gate post 28. Simultaneously as plunger sleeve 12 is urged outward of gate top rail 14, latch pin 30 engages opening 38 of latch bar 40 and provides alignment means for plunger sleeve 12, allowing it to be smoothly received within top rail 26 of gate post 28.

It shall be noted that if it is desired to remove the gate, it need only be lifted upward without removing the pins 76.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A gate latch comprising, in combination, a hollow gate top rail, an elongated plunger sleeve carried within said top rail providing engagement means within the top rail of a gate post, a coil spring carried within said hollow gate top rail providing a means for urging said plunger sleeve outward of said top rail, an elongated leaf spring carried Within said top rail of gate providing a means for urging a trigger plate of rectangular configuration external of the outer periphery of said gate top rail to engage with a cam plate secured to said gate post top rail, a latch pin carried by said gate top rail providing alignment means for said gate top rail with said gate post top rail, a vertical brass handle carried by said gate top rail providing a means for disengaging the latching mechanism in order to open said gate, an L-shaped latch bar providing a means for receiving said latching pin, a pair of hollow oil hinges carried by said gate providing constant lubrication for said gate.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said plunger sleeve is slidably and telescopically received within said gate top rail, and said sleeve is provided with cap means against which said coil spring urges, and the other end of said coil spring is secured to a circular spacer, and

said spacer abuts with a transverse bolt secured to said gate top rail by means of a threaded nut, and said coil spring springingly urges said plunger sleeve out of the open end of said gate top rail.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein unlocking means for said gate latch comprises said elongated brass handle secured to an elongated plate at right angles and said plate is secured by spaced apart rivet means to said plunger sleeve within said gate top rail and slot means for said rivets which allows said plate to move forward and backward, and said latch pin is secured at one end to one end of said plate having said brass handle.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said latch pin is freely and slidably received within the end of a decorative rod parallel with said gate top rail and said latch pin is rounded on the end to be received within a frust-o-conical opening Within said L-shaped latch bar secured to the top rail of said gate post, and said L-shaped bar is provided with slot means which allow adjustment of the position of said latch bar to properly align said latch pin and said sleeve, and threaded screw means received within said slots of said latch bar are threadingly received through said top rail of said gate post.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said latch pin when removed from said opening of said latch bar by means of said handle is moved simultaneously with said plunger sleeve and said elongated leaf spring within said plunger sleeve is secured at one end by screw and nut fasteners and stop pin means secured to said leaf spring are received within an opening through said gate top rail and hold said plunger sleeve within said top rail against the pressure of said spring urging against said plunger sleeve until it is desired to close said gate which will automatically lock.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said trigger plate secured to the end of said elongated spring within said plunger sleeve is freely and slidably received 'within' an elongated slot on the end of said plunger sleeve thus keeping said plunger sleeve aligned in order that said pin secured to said leaf spring within said plunger sleeve may align with and be received within said opening of said top rail of said gate.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein locking means for said gate latch comprises said elongated cam plate secured externally of the top rail of said gate post, and said cam plate extends partially forward of the open end of said top rail of said gate post providing engagement means with said trigger plate secured to said leaf spring within said plunger sleeve, and when said gate is urged closed, said trigger plate strikes the extending end of said cam plate and is urged inward toward the center of said plunger sleeve to disengage said pin secured to said spring from said opening of said top rail of said gate, and when this occurs, said coil spring urges said plunger sleeve outward of said top rail and by means of said latch bar and said latch pin, said plunger sleeve is received within the open end of said top rail of said gate post to secure said gate in the closed position.

8. The combination according to claim 7 whererin the end of said latch pin when said gate is being closed is received within said frusto-conical opening of said latch bar, and provides positive alignment of said sleeve with the open end of said top rail of said gate post, and said trigger plate slides out of the slot of said top rail of said gate and is slidably received within similar slot means within the end of said top rail of said gate post.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said oil hinges of said gate comprise a hollow upper housing and a hollow lower housing containing an oil bathfor lubricating the hinge pin received within the center of said housings, and flange bushing means ineach of said housings receive said hinge pins, and said flanges are provided with arcuate, spaced apart openings to receive oil over the components received within said upper and lower housings.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein mounting plate means are secured to said upper housing and said lower housing and are provided with openings for receiving suitable fasteners to secure said oil hinges to said gate and the gate post, and said gate may be removed for repairs merely by lifting upward on' said gate without disturbing said pin received within said upper and lower housings of said oil hinges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,050,941 1/1913 Green 292335 1,330,693 2/1920 Fisher 292-635 1,568,353 1/1926 Tullis 292-635 1,615,120 1/1927 Fischer 292171 X 2,713,737 7/1955 Hawkins 3922 X EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GATE LATCH COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW GATE TOP RAIL, AN ENLOGATED PLUNGER SLEEVE CARRIED WITHIN SAID TOP RAIL PROVIDING ENGAGEMENT MEANS WITHIN THE TOP RAIL OF A GATE POST, A COIL SPRING CARRIED WITHIN SAID HOLLOW GATE TOP RAIL PROVIDING A MEANS FOR URGING SAID PLUNGER SLEEVE OUTWARDS OF SAID TOP RAIL, AN ELONGATED LEAF SPRING CARRIED WITHIN SAID TOP RAIL OF GATE PROVIDING A MEANS FOR URGING A TRIGGER PLATE OF RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION EXTERNAL OF THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID GATE TOP RAIL TO ENGAGE WITH A CAM PLATE SECURED TO SAID GATE POST TOP RAIL, A LATCH PIN CARRIED BY SAID GATE TOP RAIL PROVIDING ALIGNMENT MEANS FOR SAID GATE TOP RAIL WITH SAID GATE POST TOP RAIL, A VERTICAL BRASS HANDLE CARRIED BY SAID GATE TOP RAIL PROVIDING A MEANS FOR DISENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM IN ORDER TO OPEN SAID GATE, AN L-SHAPED LATCH BAR PROVIDING A MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID LATCHING PIN, A PAIR OF HOLLOW OIL HINGES CARRIED BY SAID GATE PROVIDING CONSTANT LUBRICATION FOR SAID GATE. 